Technology Student Association

Technology Student Association

Motto	"Learning to live in a technical world."
Formation	1978
Type	Youth organization
Legal status	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	Reston, VA
Region served	United States  Germany  Turkey  Peru
Membership	200,000 2,000 (Chapters)
Official language	English
Website	TSAweb.org

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is an international student organization devoted exclusively to the needs of students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Open to students enrolled in or who have completed technology education courses, TSA’s membership includes over 200,000 middle and high school students in 2,000 schools spanning 48 states.

Competition

Competitive events are separated into middle school and high school levels, with students competing only with their respective age group. Competitions take place at the local, state, regional and national level. A component of leadership is often entailed in events at both levels, with some events being devoted to leadership (such as the Leadership Challenge).

All TSA competitions are correlated with national science, technology, engineering and mathematics standards. Expert judging by technology educators and industry representatives inspires the best from participants. Members are rewarded not only with medals or trophies, but also with memories of the camaraderie and the challenge of a TSA conference. Sample middle school events include Agriculture and Biotechnology Issues, Career Prep, Electronic Gaming and Go Green Manufacturing. High school events include Animatronics, Computer Aided Design (CAD)and Desktop Publishing. Visit http://www.tsaweb.org/Competitions for a complete list of the TSA competitions. .^[1] Scores are out of 100 points and based upon a nationally developed rubric. Winners are chosen based on these scores. In many events, finalists (top 10) move onto a second round of competition which usually involves an interview with the judges about the project. First, second, and third place winner are awarded a trophy at the national level.^[2]

History

TSA became an independent organization in 1978, when AIASA Inc. was formed to oversee the activities of the American Industrial Arts Student Association. Between the foundation of AIASA as an independent organization (it had formerly been a part of the American Industrial Arts Association) and 1988, the association grew and began to take shape.^[3]

In 1988, the AIASA changed its name to the Technology Student Association as part of a shift in focus from industrial arts to mainstream technology. This action followed a similar name change by the Texas state delegation the previous year. In 1989, the official logo,submitted by a chapter advisor, was adopted. In 1990, the logo received a trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.^[3]

Today, the Association has grown to include over 200,000 members in 2,000 secondary schools across 48 states.^[1] It has established an Honor Society, manages numerous competitive events and has partnerships with several organizations.

TSA's Mission Statement: The Technology Student Association fosters personal growth, leadership, and opportunities in technology, innovation, design, and engineering. Members apply and integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics concepts through co-curricular activities, competitive events and related programs.

Structure

The levels of TSA are national, state, and local with a unified membership structure. Local chapters, established by advisors and students in schools with technology education programs, are led by a group of officers. Students at the local level work on projects and compete at local, state and national conferences.

State associations are led by a team of state officers, sometimes called an executive council. TSA State Advisors oversee the state delegations. State officers are usually elected by voting delegates from each state chapter.

On the national level, The TSA, Inc. Board of Directors leads the association. The national staff administer programs as decided by the TSA, Inc. Board of Directors and a six member national officer team supports these efforts and represents them to the membership. The national officers are elected by voting delegates from each chapter during the annual national TSA conference. The six National Offices are the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter and Sergeant-at-Arms. These offices form the basic core of most local and state teams, although others have been added in some cases.

State, national and local conferences offer members a chance to compete in various competitive events and attend leadership building events. General Sessions involving a keynote speaker, awards ceremonies, and service project activities are common.

Program Initiatives

Junior Solar Sprint – A national STEM based program empowering teachers, mentors and other community members to engage 4th – 8th grade youth in designing, building and racing model solar cars. TEAMS – (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science) – An annual one-day competition for students in middle and high school that allows them to apply their knowledge and skills in STEM to solve issues facing our global society. TSA VEX Robotics Competition – An engaging competition platform through which students are exposed to the latest in robotics education, and concurrently, to opportunities that will further their knowledge in STEM areas. The TSA VEX Robotics Competition is made possible through funding from VEX Robotics, Inc. UNITE – A four to six week summer program, funded by the U.S. Army Research Office, encouraging high school students to pursue engineering careers. Through hands-on activities and team-based learning, students explore the connections between math, science and real-world applications. Verizon Innovative App Challenge – Middle school and high school students use their STEM knowledge, their ingenuity, and their creativity to come up with a mobile app concept that meets the needs of their school or community. The goal of the challenge is to provide an engaging and empowering learning experience to increase student interest and knowledge in STEM and mobile technology fields.

Additionally, TSA has a service partnership with the American Cancer Society (ACS), which are parts of their National Service Project. TSA members raise money to promote advocacy and research in the ACS, and the ACS issues Spirit of Service awards at each national conference. In the past, conferences have hosted Relay for Life events on site.^[4]

Incumbent National Officers

Notable alumni

• Chad Hurley - Co-founder of YouTube (Film - 1992)
• Jay Parmley - Former Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman and current Democratic National Committee Member at Large who served as Oklahoma TSA Sergeant-at-Arms, Vice President and President (Chapter Team - 1987-1989)
• Carlos Felix- Restaurateur 2007–present
• Guy Cecil - Executive Director, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Former National TSA President (1991-1992)
• Andy Hertzfeld - Member of the original Macintosh development team in the 1980s and computer entrepreneur
• Carrie Underwood - Country singer and music star, past member of Oklahoma TSA
• Mark Zuckerburg - Founder of Facebook NYC TSA

National Conference Locations

State delegations

• Alabama TSA
• Alaska TSA
• Arizona TSA
• Arkansas TSA
• California TSA
• Colorado TSA
• Connecticut TSA
• Delaware TSA
• Florida TSA
• Georgia TSA
• Germany TSA
• Idaho TSA
• Illinois TSA
• Indiana TSA
• Iowa TSA
• Kansas TSA
• Kentucky TSA
• Louisiana TSA
• Maine TSA
• Maryland TSA
• Massachusetts TSA
• Michigan TSA
• Minnesota TSA
• Mississippi TSA
• Missouri TSA
• Montana TSA
• Nebraska TSA
• Nevada TSA
• New Hampshire TSA
• New Jersey TSA
• New Mexico TSA
• New York TSA
• North Carolina TSA
• North Dakota TSA
• Ohio TSA
• Oklahoma TSA
• Oregon TSA
• Pennsylvania TSA
• Peru TSA
• Rhode Island TSA
• South Carolina TSA
• South Dakota TSA
• Tennessee TSA
• Texas TSA
• Turkey TSA
• Utah TSA
• Virginia TSA
• Washington TSA
• West Virginia TSA
• Wisconsin TSA
• Wyoming TSA

See also

• CO2 Dragster

References

External links

• Official TSA Website
• Office of Vocational and Adult Education (USDOE)